If Nobody Knows ...
by Blitz
Summary: 2 best friends, but total opposites. One is recruited by the X-Men, the other by the Brotherhood and everyone is affected by the aftershock. Not as crappy as it sounds. Trust me. 15/15. Epilogue.
1. The Changing Times

IfNobodyKnows.html IF NOBODY KNOWS ... 

Summary: There are 2 new mutants at Bayville high. One is an outgoing senior who is trying to look out for the younger one, the other is an easily manipulated, self-conscious sophomore. Both have their own reasons for not getting close to people. 

Disclaimer: X-Men belong to Stan Lee and Marvel Comics. X-Men: Evolution belongs to Kids WB and Marvel Comics. Scarlett Marsden and Helen Sadey belong to me. 

CHAPTER 1:   
The Changing Times   
  


Two years. 

730 days. 

17,520 hours since Scarlett had first used her powers. 

Sixteen years, the very day of her birth, since she had been branded an outcast. 

Twelve years of stinging bleach penetrating through her scalp, burning her head and eyebrows. 

Eleven years of keeping her head down, her mouth closed, never smiling or laughing. 

Fourteen years of wondering where her mother had disappeared to. 

Ten years of praying for her father's cigarette addiction. 

All her life being afraid to cry. 

Now, the fear was greater, for if she cried ... only God knows what would happen. FoH, Sentinels ... mutant-hunters. They were always waiting around every bush, every corner, lurking in the shadows, just waiting to snatch her from her rather peaceful life in Bayville. 

And then there was her father. If he saw her cry, if he saw the water droplets forming, then the look of pain and embarassment of knowing what his child - his only child - was. 

Pushing the blonde hair behind her ears early one morning, the cool morning sunlight shining down on her through an open window, Scarlett Marsden examined her rather scraggled reflection in the mirror, her gray eyes staring back at her. She leaned forward and lifted up her lip with one finger and turned to the side a little bit. She squinted her eyes and examined the tiny fang set in her jaw. Pulling her finger away, she watched as her reflection began to lose the early morning cloudiness and began to droop, then watched as her lip began to quiver and her eyes began to sting. She furiously rubbed her tears away. 

"Can't cry now," she said. 

Pushing her wet hair back behind her ears, she pulled the hood of her sweatshirt down over her head, hiding her hair that was just beginning to show tips of blue. 

Keeping her eyes downcast, she walked downstairs to the door. That morning, she wasn't feeling particularly hungry. Her father was most likely at work already, leaving the entire house to herself. 

But she had nothing to do with it. It was just a ceiling, a few walls, and food. It meant nothing to her. She knew others on the street would be envious of the rather large suburban home, but she couldn't help but not care. Spending five years straight within the walls had given her a bitter view of it. 

She watched the spot on the living room floor, the shadow cast by a plant, and remembered her mother had sat there, homeschooling her for the first five years of her life. She remembered one day not having her lessons. And she remembered the sudden burst of inspiration to draw pictures of women screaming, familiar face contorted in pain. Her mother, yet ... not. Her father had torn up the paintings, forbidding her from ever holding a paintbrush again. But that was a broken vow. She shut her eyes, remembering how oddly young the woman in her drawing had been. Yet, it looked like her mother. 

She walked over to the space next to the shadow. "I miss you, Mommy," she whispered, though she knew if her mother was still around she would still never see the light of day or the inside of a classroom. And if her mother was still alive, she wouldn't have any friends and she wouldn't have Helen - 

There was a knock at the door and Scarlett turned her head sharply, causing a swift pain to travel up the base of her skull. "Ahhg!" she cried, placing a hand to the back of her head and getting up. She walked to the door, watching the window as the dark haired, green-eyed, senior smiled and waved back at her. 

Scarlett returned the wave feebly and opened the door. 

"Hey! Ready to go?" Helen chirped. 

Scarlett didn't know why Helen hung around her. "Yeah, sure." She picked up her backpack and headed out the door, Helen walking behind her. 

Helen had straight, hip-long black hair that was always tied in a loose ponytail at the back of her head with an oval, forest green clip. There were the faintest hint of freckles sprinkling her nose and her eyes were the clearest, roundest, brightest green eyes she had ever seen. Helen was nearly 5'10", much taller than Scarlett's 5'3", and had a way of forcing everyone to respect her. 

Scarlett, on the other hand, was a short, gray-eyed, blonde. Her hair was wavey and ended at her biceps, and she always walked with her head down. No one knew her name and no one would ever know her name because she had no reason to tell anyone. She was soft-spoken and petite. Her lips pointed downwards a little and she always looked hurt or scared, like a baby fawn. She, in her mind, was a monster. 

"Hey!" Helen said as they walked down the street. "Wanna see what I can do?" 

Scarlett stopped walking and stared at Helen. 

Helen looked up and down the street, then pulled Scarlett behind some bushes. "Check this." Helen's smile disappeared and her legs began to shimmer and vanish, being replace by a shadow. 

" ... What-?" 

"Just watch." Helen continued her metamorphosis and soon, she had a genie-type effect. 

"You look like the Genie from 'Aladdin'," Scarlett quipped. 

"Well, _thanks_!" Helen paused and smiled, then rose a little into the air, putting her hands together above her head and singing in a loud, whiney voice. "I'm a genie in a bottle, Gotta rub me the right way!" 

"Helen!" Scarlett laughed. 

"Ya know, I've never seen _your_ power," Helen reminisced, trying to remember if Scarlett did in fact have one. 

" ... So?" 

"Well, what is it?" 

"I told you." 

Helen nodded, not smiling anymore, and the two continued on their way to school, both secretly grateful that there were only two more blocks. 

"Sorry, but you know I can't show you." 

"Yeah, I know. You might get caught," Helen sighed. 

"You know, you should be more careful, too." 

"Relax, I got it all taken care of. Besides," Helen shrugged, "what could possibly happen in _Bayville_?" 

*** 

Professor Xavier pulled away from Cerebro, taking off the large, bright helmet. He examined the screen and the girl's face that had appeared on it. She was drawn in green lines and the screen moved around so that he could see all angles and search for any physical mutation. The screen began to shade in the colors and display her statistics. 

"Hmmm ... Helen Sadey. 18. 5'10". 125 pounds. Bayville High. Just as I suspected." Putting his fingertips to his temples, he attempted to call together the most reliable X-Man and the one best suited for the job: Storm. "Storm. Come in, Storm." 

*Yes, Professor?* he heard her calm voice say. 

*There is a sighting of a mutant at Bayville High. I believe she is in a few of Scott's classes.* 

*Would you like me to find her?* 

*Yes. And please,* he said, *steer clear of the Brotherhood. Any trouble with them could mean losing her.* 

*** 

"Oh, up yours, Lance." 

Scarlett watched as Helen waved him off. 

"Just back off. Don't you have some hyrdrants to sniff or something?" 

*** 

Storm flew into the air, heading towards Bayville high. School would not start for another half hour and Charles had confirmed that they were already there. If she could just make it there before the Brotherhood ... 

*** 

"What seems to be the problem here?" 

Helen looked up at the towering principal. "Oh, nothing. Everything's fine, Ms. Darkholme." 

Ms. Darkholme stared at Helen and Scarlett watched as her brown eyes narrowed and she looked Helen up and down. She would need to get her alone before the day was out. "Shouldn't you be going to class?" 

"But the - " 

The bell rang. 

"Wow. She's good," Scarlett murmured to Helen as the passed each other on their way to their separate classes. Scarlett walked toward Publice Speaking. The only class I've ever failed.>> she thought bitterly and resolved not to take it again next year. Junior year. She cringed as she thought of how close she was getting to college. She knew she would get in to one, but the thought of leaving everything she had ever known excited and scared her at the same time. 

She pushed her way in through the crowded door, accidently hitting someone as she passed. She felt a sweep of fur across her forearm and looked up, alarmed, half expecting to see a classmate carrying a pet. 

Instead she saw Kurt, who looked as if he was trying to supress surprise as well. 

Trying to ignore what had happened, Scarlett made her way to her seat in the middle of the class. She found that the teachers kept an eye on the kids in the back and called on the kids in the front. The sides were also teacher territory. But in the middle, behind the tallest boy in class, she was relatively safe. 

"First off, announcements ..." 

Scarlett was already beginning to lose interest, something that happened rarely for her. She absent-mindedly turned back to Kurt. What had she felt? It couldn't be fur. She saw his shirt. The shirt! That was it! She had brushed against the shirt! No way had she felt fur. 

She turned back to the teacher and ran her tongue over her right fang and pressed it against the point until it hurt then clenched her teeth. She would give nearly anything to be rid of them. 

But still, she felt uneasy about the fur she had felt earlier. She, once again, dismissed it as sleep-deprivation and the fact that she had eaten nothing for breakfast, the most important meal of the day. 

*** 

Raven Darkholme sat in her chair, watching the children in P.E. class. Rising, she drew the curtains and turned back to her desk. Frowning, she said, "I hope Magneto has not lost his mind. Surely this child must be nothing more than a week, immature human." Just before she changed shape, she said, "I'll make my prescence unknown to her, I'll spy. I'll be like a _fly on the wall_." With that, she buzzed from the room and straight for Physics class.   



	2. The Offer

theoffer.html Disclaimer: X-Men: Evolution isn't mine. Not getting paid. Don't sue me cuz I don't have much money. You'll be paid in pocket-lint. 

Summary: Gee. I wonder. "The Offer". Not a real thinker there. It's pretty much self-explanatory. If I tell you anymore then I'll give away the story!   


Chapter 2: The Offer 

Helen sat in physics class, learning about ... she didn't know. She was busy trying to sleep with her eyes open. Scott sat next to her, busily taking notes. Big surprise. She yawned sleepily and tried to stifle it with her hand, while batting away a fly with another. 

Ms. Darkholme buzzed angrily and lighted on the wall, watching the girl. 

Within moments, Helen Sadey had looked around, propped up an open physics book in front of her as a sort of shield, and stared at her hand. Raven flew closer and watched. The hand disappeared nearly from sight in the book's shadow. Then reapeared. It disappeared one more and a shadow-hand traced several S's on the desk with the index finger. 

Magneto had been right. The girl _was_ a potential candidate for their team. 

*** 

Scarlett heard the bell ring and gathered up her bags to leave. She noticed Kurt go out of his way to walk away from her. Scarlett wasn't surprsied and had expected nearly everyone to behave that way around her. 

Scarlett made her way to the Honors English class, making sure to pull her hooded sweatshirt tight over her head. She wasn't in the mood to have her secret spilled because of a few moments of recklessness. 

*** 

Mystique flew back to her office and took form as her normal blue self. Walking over to the window, she saw the Wind-Rider walk toward the school. "As I feared," she muttered bitterly. "That fool Xavier is one step ahead of us." She looked over at the speaker for the P.A. System. "But not for long," she smirked. 

*** 

"Helen Sadey, please report to the principal's office. Helen Sadey, you are required in the principal's office right away." 

Helen looked up at the teacher, looking for a signal to leave. The teacher gestured with his thumb out the door and Helen collected her books together and left the room. 

*** 

Storm waited by a picnic bench, checking her watch. She hadn't made it in time to catch Helen Sadey and her last hope was either at break or at lunch. Staring at the hands on the face of the watch, she found she had 30 more minutes. 

She turned to face the window and saw a familiar looking, black haired, green eyed girl walking down the hallway ... and straight for the principal's office. 

"No!" Storm hissed. She wasted no time in flying straight for the school's side entrance. Rushing up a short flight of stairs, she found herself in a hallway, staring at the back of Helen's head. "Helen." 

A startled Helen whirled around, green eyes wide. "What - ?" 

Storm tried to appear calm as she approached the young senior. "Helen, would you please have a little talk with me. I need to discuss matters of the utmost importance with you." 

Helen frowned. "I ... guess so ... but I gotta get to Ms. Shield's office first. She ... kinda sounded mad. So ... I'll be seein' you around, okay?" Helen tried to brush her nervousness away and turned her back to the woman. 

"No, please, Helen." 

Helen stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned around, her frown more confused than ever now. "You ... called me Helen. And you did before, didn't you?" 

"I'll explain everything soon," Storm said, placing a reassuring hand on the girls arm. 

Helen back away, frightened. "Get away from me! Your'e insane!" 

"Please, Helen," Storm said taking a step towards her. "We won't hurt you. This is for your own safety." 

"'_We_ won't hurt you!?' Who's _we_?! _I_ know what's for my own safety! Not you! Now back off!" 

"Helen, please." 

"Stop saying my name! How do you know me!?" 

"We're your friends." 

"There you go with the royal 'We' again. Now after I meet with Ms. Darkholme, we'll talk." 

"I just need a moment of your time." 

Helen, beginning to calm down, looked down the hallway. "I'm not really on good terms with the principal, so I doubt being late to one meeting will do anything to help me." Helen breathed out through her nose. "Fine. But we're not leaving the school We talk right here." 

Storm smiled. "Thank you. Now what I was saying was this: you're a very special girl, Helen, and I would like to put you in a special school." 

Helen raised her eyebrow. "You know nothing's good when someone starts a sentence like that. If it's about the test I flunked, I swear, I'll do better next time. Just don't put me in a special class." 

Ororo chuckled a little. "No, no. I'm talking about your wonderful gift." 

"My gift - " She suddenly realized what she was talking about. "Hmph," she said to herself. "Whaddya know. The kid was right." She looked up. "So you know." 

"Yes." 

"And you're gonna cart me away, but believe me, I _will_ put up a fight!" 

Ororo sighed. "Helen, don't expect the worst of my group, for we expect the best of you. You are a mutant - " 

"No kidding - " 

"And being a mutant gives you certain responsibilities. I belong to Professor Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters. I'm sure you know where it is." 

Helen nodded. "Scott and Jean live there. I've talked to them a few times. And I think Kurt and Kitty and Evan Daniels. I'm not sure about that sophomore, though." 

"Please, we would like to help you. We are the X-Men." 


	3. Deal With The Devil

dealwiththedevil.html Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is ... what do _you_ think?  
  
Summary: Just read and review. 

Chapter 3: Deal With The Devil   


"Aargh! Where is that little brat!" Mystique yelled, hurling a pen against the wall and making a blue smudge against the paint. 

"Patience, Mystique. She may be sought after by the X-Men. But we will find a way to reach her ... one way or another ..." 

*** 

Ms. Darkholme stormed from her office and down the hall of the school. In the distance she saw Helen talking with a woman. 

Just perfect. Things weren't going as planned and Ms. Darkholme was running out of options. "Ah. Helen. So nice to see you." 

"Ms. Darkholme! Oh, uhm. I'm sorry. I was on my way over there. Really!" 

"Of course you were. No matter. Matters have been cleared up already. You are free to go." She paused and gave a rather nasty look towards Ororo. "And you must be ... ?" She feigned ignorance. 

"I was just going." 

There was a loud buzz and classroom doors began to open, filtering out students. A group past in between the principal, Ororo, and Helen. As they passed, Ms. Darkholme was gone. 

"Helen, please come with me. We can talk more outside." 

Helen obediently followed Ororo. 

*** 

Scarlett sat at a picnic table, thinking. She cast her gaze over to a bird that seemed to be watching her. It was an ocean blue one with a brilliant red crest and strange yellow eyes. Scarlett turned her gaze from the bird to her hand. Looking up to make sure no one was watching, she concentrated hard. 

"Well, once couldn't hurt ... " 

*** 

Professor Xavier looked up to the screen of Cerebro and read what was written. "Scarlett Marsden. 16. 5'3". 100 pounds. Bayville High. Seems to be ... hmmm ... odd ... I think I've only seen one case similar to this back a few years ago. A boy named Robert Drake. But this is strange. Bobby kept his form. She seems to ... I'll have Storm investigate her, as well. But she also seems to have minor telepathic powers. Perhaps I can have Jean try to reach her." 

*** 

Mystique flew from her perch on the tree branch and circled a corner to where there were no students and quickly changed into Ms. Darkholme again. Once again, she walked back towards Scarlett and clapped a hand over the young girl's shoulder. 

Scarlett whirled around, her grey eyes wide with fear. Mystique noticed the girl's hand began to reform its shape and she smiled wickedly. 

"Hello, Ms. Marsden." 

"Hi, Ms. Darkholme," Scarlett quaked uneasily, wondering if she had seen what she hoped she didn't see, silently berating herself for her one moment of weakness, the one moment that would allow the world to know what she really was. The one moment that would allow her to be revealed as a mutant. She was so close to apologizing to the principal, though she had no reason to, and seeping into the ground to die. 

But instead Ms. Darkholme was the one to make the next move. "Would you please accompany me to my office, Scarlett?" 

Scarlett swallowed lightly and nodded, feeling suddenly sick. She would have scanned the surface thoughts of her principal's mind, but she had already dug herself in deep enough. No need to add "invasion of privacy" or some trumped up claim like that to the list. 

So instead she just followed the woman into the building, through the hall, and into the office. 

*** 

"Sooo ... You're going to take me in, teach me about my powers, and make me part of something called 'The X-Men'?" 

"If you will let us. You would make a very valuable member of the team." 

"Ooh. Valuable," Helen said, then muttered, "Never been called that before." 

"What was that?" 

"Nothing." 

Ororo. This is the Professor. There has been another mutant sighted in Bayville High. I would like you to make contact with her as well. Try and see if you can bring her over to our side ... before Magneto finds her. > 

Would you like me to ask Helen about her?>> 

Please. Her name is Scarlett Marsden.>> 

"Helen?" Ororo began. 

"Yeah?" 

"Professor Xavier, the one I told you about, the one that sent me to find you, has just contacted me about another mutant in the school." 

Helen's face paled slightly at that, whispering in her mind, "Oh God no." "Oh, really?" Helen said nonchalantly. "Who?" 

"A young girl by the name of 'Scarlett Marsden'. Please. If you know her, help us find her. She may be in grave danger." 

"The Brotherhood, right?" 

"Correct. Do you know her?" 

Helen stared blankly at Ororo with a poker face. She knew how hard Scarlett had tried to keep her identity a secret. One word, "yes", could destroy it all for her. Helen had met Scarlett's father. He wasn't too mutant-friendly. She knew what Scarlett would go through if she even brought up her powers. First she would be grounded. Then her father would give her the silent treatment or ask, "What would your mom say?" She knew he would freeze her out. Scarlett would feel ashamed and her self-esteem would lower. It had taken a full year for Helen to pull Scarlett this far out of her shell, and with one word, she would just push her right back in, and lose a friend. 

But then again, the Brotherhood would find her. The Brotherhood would use her as a tool to end mankind, and Helen couldn't allow that. But how would they know? Unless ... Scarlett had been practicing her powers. But Helen knew Scarlett's strict "No Mutant Powers EVER" rule. But if they found out another way, possibly another psychic, then Scarlett could be in real danger. 

Helen finally decided that as long as she was around, the Brotherhood wouldn't get to her almost-little-sister. She shook her head. "No, I don't think so." 

Ororo nodded. "During lunch, tell Jean Grey to look for her. Remember. Scarlett Marsden. Remember that name." 

Helen nodded as Ororo Munroe walked away. 

*** 

Scarlett stared at Ms. Darkholme. "What do you want to talk to me about?" she said in a soft voice.   


Ms. Darkholme paced the room. "You see, Scarlett, many children now are being born with a rare gene - " 

Scarlett's eyes began to tear up and she forced them back, immediately looking down at her hands. No. She hadn't changed. Good. 

"This gene, this double helix, allows them to do strange and wondrous things. Scarlett, you have that gene." 

"N-no, I don't." 

Mystique whirled around. "Yes, you do. I've seen you. You're not the only one who's ... different," Mystique said as she changed into her normal state, blue skin, red hair, and all. 

Scarlett's mouth dropped open. "Ms. Darkholme?!" 

"You may call me Mystique. I am part of The Brotherhood of Mutants. We are an organization that helps mutants to become powerful to the most of their potential. We are homo superior. Our duty is to become the dominant species on the planet." Mystique picked up a paperweight and ran her fingers over it, looking thoughtful as she spoke. "We have been held back far too long, and now we will burst through. We cannot be crushed under a rock anymore!" As she said the word "crushed" she slammed the paperweight down on the desk, causing Scarlett to jump. Mystique continued. "Scarlett, do you want to live in a world where you are afraid to leave your home because you look a little different? Or because the government wants you and your family dead?" 

Scarlett shook her head. 

"But it's how you live now, isn't it?" 

Scarlett stared down at her lap. Then, finally, nodded. 

"And if you had a chance, would you change it? ... For your children?" 

The children?>> Scarlett thought. She remembered being five years old again, head held back into the kitchen sink into a tub of peroxide so that her pale blue hair would be bleached blonde. So no one would know. She remembered the tears streaming down her face as it burned her scalp. And at twelve, she remembered being at a slumber party, laughing, and having her friends see her fangs, then being driven home and eating lunch alone thereafter, reading their minds as they thought horrible things about her. And she remembered crying in the bathroom, tears splashing to the floor. Hands, splashing to the floor, legs, torso, neck, face, hair, all splashing to the floor. All becoming liquid. All disappearing as she lay on the tiles, struggling to take form again. 

She looked up at Mystique and frowned, then said in a calmer, louder, steadier voice, "I'm in." 

Mystique smiled and the metal doorknob of the office opened by some unseen force as a male voice said, "Welcome to the Brotherhood." On the other side of the door, Quicksilver, Blob, Toad, and Avalanche stepped in. 


	4. Shadow Of The Past

shadowofthepast.html Summary: There are 2 new mutants at Bayville high. One is an outgoing senior who is trying to look out for the younger one, the other is an easily manipulated, self-conscious sophomore. Both have their own reasons for not getting close to people. 

Disclaimer: X-Men belong to Stan Lee and Marvel Comics. X-Men: Evolution belongs to Kids WB and Marvel Comics. Scarlett Marsden and Helen Sadey belong to me. 

NOTE: Thanx to all those who reviewed! I'm hoping to get this one as popular as Megan's "Fuzzy Feelings" . Please review! Flame me! Critisize me! Anything! My story is so _sad_. :,,( . See? It's crying now. 

And, again, thank you to everyone who reviewed!   


Chapter 4: Shadow of the Past   


Scarlett walked from the office back to her classroom, feeling somehow important. Somehow not alone. Even when she was with Helen, she felt different, she felt inferior. But now wasn't the same. 

"Hey! Scarlett! Listen. I gotta talk to you." 

Scarlett checked her watch. She had five minutes to get to class, but she doubted Ms. Shileds, or "Mystique", would chastise her for it. "Okay. But I gotta get going." 

Helen looked around. There was no one. "Okay," she started. "Ya know how I was practicing my shadow ability this morning." 

Scarlett nodded. 

"Well, it was tracked down by some guy named Professor Xavier." 

Tracked down ... tracked down ... I _told_ her it would happen!>> "Who ... -?" 

"Professor Xavier. Where Scott and Jean live. And another girl they all call The Rogue," Helen looked down and met Scarlett's frightened gaze. "It's a school for mutants, Scarlett." 

*** 

Professor?>> 

I need to speak with you about a certain new mutant, Jean.>> 

Scarlett Marsden.>> 

How did you ... > 

Jean smiled. I'm a telepath, too, Porfessor.>> 

Of course. Do you know her?>> 

Vaguely. I've seen her around. Kinda creepy.>> 

How so?>> 

She doesn't say much. Hardly anything. I've seen what look like fangs in her mouth a few times. She always tries to wear hoods or hats, like she's afraid someone will see her head.>> 

Hmmm... maybe she is. Jean, Scarlett has pale blue hair and fangs. I also believe she has an ability to do with water, though I couldn't tell. Please try to talk to her for me.>> 

Will do. Oh, and Professor?>> 

Yes, Jean?>> 

Has Helen joined us?>> 

Yes.>> 

That's good. Then it will be easier to get Scarlett.>> 

How so?>> 

They're good friends. Sort of like sisters that get along 24/7. You hardly find one without the other. Helen kind of looks out for Scarlett.>> 

That's odd. Helen said she didn't know her.>> 

Jean furrowed her brow. That is odd. I don't think Helen's ashamed of her. Is she? That doesn't seem like her.>> 

The way you describe it, no, no it doesn't. There must be another hand playing in this.>> 

Mystique's?>> 

That's what I hope to find out.>> 

*** 

Scarlett stared in horror at Helen, trying to mask her contempt for the older girl. Helen had betrayed her. "So ... your part of the X-Men now." 

Helen nodded excitedly. "I told you because I thought they could help you. Do you want to join with me?" 

"_No_!" Scarlett wanted to scream at her. "_I'm a part of the Brotherhood now_!" But instead she said something else. "Did you tell them about me?" Scarlett asked, afraid to know the answer and afraid to scan her mind. 

"No. Of course not, though they wanted me to. They asked about you. The X-Men are looking for you, too." 

"Don't tell them about me." 

Helen frowned. "Why not." 

"Because I'm ... not ready. No one can hear about me yet." 

Helen nodded, then shrugged. "Suit yerself. But if you ever get into trouble with any mutant hunting people, I'll come and help you out. So will the rest of us. We're trying to make the world a better place." 

"Isn't that kind of ... optimistic thinking?" 

Helen's eyes looked hurt, but her face hid it well. "Well, yeah I guess so," she said. "But hey! Optimists live longer! See ya, and _please_ reconsider ... It'd be no fun without you," she added. 

Scarlett watched her go, disappointed in herself with not telling her about the Brotherhood. But she told herself it was too late, the X-Men had already gotten to her first. Scarlett walked back to her classroom. 

*** 

Later that evening 

Scarlett walked around the campus, not quite wanting to return home. She knew that once she returned home, she would have to face her father. She knew she wouldn't be able to look him in the eye after what she had done. Being a mutant was one thing, but joining a team of them? She was beyond hopeless. Her father had built in her a sense of shame of herself and it had grown to ... to what she was now. 

She watched as a single black shadow made its way over to the picnic table, tangling in and out of the shadows of the leaves. It almost looked like oil. The shadow rose and took form of an eighteen year-old girl. 

"Thought I'd find you here ... Well, I checked everywhere else." 

"Helen," Scarlett asked, full of sorrow, "why'd a join the X-Men?" She sounded very disappointed in her friend. 

Helen looked taken back. "I don't know. I ... I guess I just liked the offer." 

"What offer?" 

"Freedom to practice my mutant powers, friends, a family ... you know what happened to mine." 

"Not really. You never specified." 

"Scarlett," Helen sighed. "I'm 26 years old. I can't go back to them. If they see me now ... I still look eighteen! I can't age fast enough. I guess 'cause ... shadows don't age. But since I'm not fully a shadow, I can age ... but only a litte. I was offered so much there: I'd get a kewl place to stay; freedom to practice my powers; I can have friends that I know won't leave me once they get old and ... well, and I don't." 

"You have all that here. An apartment, you practice your powers whenever you want. ... And I thought _I_ was your friend." 

"You _are_ ... but I need more than one." 

Scarlett looked down at her knees, letting her blonde hair fall in front of her face. 

"Scarlett?" 

She looked up. 

"What do you know?" 

"Promise you won't hate me?" 

"I couldn't," Helen smiled. You're like my daughter or something." Her smile vanished. "Sorry." 

"It's okay. I'm ... over it, I guess. She's been dead for a while." Scarlett paused, still looking sad. "I did something bad." 

Helen looked concerned. "What?" she asked softly. 

"I kinda ... sorta ... made a choice I maybe shouldn't have?" 

" ... Scar, you're not givin' me much to go on here. You have no idea what's going through my mind right now." 

"Well, I ... " Scarlett's eyes suddenly widened. "I hafta go!" Scarlett immediately turned around and ran off. 

Helen turned around and spotted Scott. 

"Helen. The Professor sent me to go get you. What are you doing here?" 

"How'd he ... Oh, yeah. Whole _telepathy_ thing. I'm _never_ gonna get used to that." Helen returned back to the subject. "I was just ... " She turned around in tht edirection that Scarlett had run off in. She had already circled a corner and was gone. " ... looking for a friend," she said, frowning. 

"Where are they?" 

"Not here," Helen said quickly, pushing Scott back towards the red convertible containing Jean and Evan. She began to have a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. 


	5. The Collision

thecollision Chapter 5: The Collision   


Pietro Maximoff watched as Scott and Helen spoke together a distance off. He sneered and looked around, then took off to find his team mates. 

*** 

Scarlett saw a blur of of color as a wind past by her. Confusion swept over her, and then a sense of dread. However, she pushed this feeling aside and ducked behind a tree. She watched Scott and Helen talk. Helen was trying to get Scott to go back to the car, but he wouldn't budge. 

Helen sighed and put her knuckles to the bridge of her nose and cast her head downward. Scarlett could barely hear them, but she caught most of their conversation. 

"C'mon, Shadow. The Prof wants you home." 

"I ... I'm meeting a friend here. Just ... go back to the car and I'll catch up with ya guys later." 

He still looked hesitant. 

"C'mon. I'm a big girl now," she half-smiled. 

He has no idea.>> Scarlett thought with a smile. 

Helen, or _Shadow_ now, continued. " ... I can take care of myself." 

"When you're with the X-Men - " 

Scarlett looked down at her lap, sad. 

" - you won't _need_ to do things by yourself anymore." 

Helen sighed. "'Precciate the concern and all, but, Scott, just ... please?" 

Scott looked back at the car, then at Helen. "I don't know what your doing here, but I guess if anything happens, we'll be close by." 

"Exactly." A sweep of wind flew by Helen, sending her nearly falling down. "You better know what the hell that is 'cause I'm officially freaked out now!" 

Scott had also felt it and he covered his face to protect his eyes from the sudden wind. 

Pietro Maximoff stopped behind him, fists on hips. 

"Oh, God no," Scarlett pleaded quietly. "Not now." She noticed a shadow from the rooftop as Toad hopped into view. 

His tongue flipped out and caught hold of Scott's shades. There was a flash of red as he shut them. 

"This was _not_ in the job application!" Shadow said, as she morphed the lower half of her body into a shadow, as she had previously done that morning. 

"Wow. That actually came in some use," Scarlett murmured. 

"What do you want?!" Helen yelled at them, her hands balling into fists and her arms tensing. 

"Settle a score," QuickSilver said, in his normally fast voice. 

This is _not_ what was supposed to happen.>>Scarlett thought, refusing to look up at what was happening. That was her team. She was a part of them. But that was also her friend. But Mystique had said she had new friends now. And to risk many "friends" for one? What kind of choice was _that_? To stop them now would have those new "friends" turn against her. She already knew that the X-Men were against her, because she was part of the Brotherhood. "He said settle a score," she decided finally. "I'm not a part of any _score_, therefore I don't have to fight. To do so would be to mix myself up in something that isn't mine." 

She looked over. Jean and Evan had hurried over to Scott. The shade were moving through the air and back to Scott. Evan was ... 

"What the - ?!" Scarlett hissed, watching as Evan started the battle, hurling spikes of bones at QuickSilver. 

"Too slow!" QuickSilver yelled, running so fast he was almost invisible. The spikes burst out of the ground and flew away from him. He stopped and smirked at Evan. "Always were too slow, Daniels!" 

The Blob had showed up, along with Avalanche. 

Scarlett immediately felt a sense of hopelessness and anger she had not felt sense she had realized her mother wasn't ever going to come home again. But _why_? It's not _my_ war.>> She watched as Toad hopped down. 

"So watcha gonna do now? Looks like we're gonna win this one. We got our whole team, you guys only got half!" 

... It never was.>> 

She watched as Helen spun gracefully, slowly turning into a shadow and melting into Pietro's. 

"What good's that gonna do ya, huh?" He asked, running again. "Still not gonna catch me!" 

Two green eyes popped open in Pietro's shadow and they sparkled and one squinted a bit, as if she were half-smiling. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that, Silver," she said, her voice seemed hallow, as if she were in an empty amphitheater. "I'm your shadow. I can be whatever I want now. And right now, I'm your worst nightmare." Her leg reformed and kicked him behind the knees, sending him falling back. 

"Waa-aahh!" 

Helen reformed totally and jumped away from him as he fell back. 

"Got 'im!" Jean yelled, holding his legs still and lifting him into the air. 

Scott let out an optic blast, knocking him into Toad. 

"Aaagh!" Toad yelled. "Little too close!" He kicked Pietro off of him. 

Scarlett smiled. "Yes!" she hissed, then caught herself. "Not your war, Scar. Never was, never will be," she sighed. But something kept her from leaving. She wanted to see how this would turn out. "I _do_ have a certain allegiance to the Brotherhood. I've finally got people to watch my back. Mystique seemed to know where I was coming from." 

Avalanche raised his foot and crashed it to the ground, sending tremors through the earth and sending everyone falling down. The Blob had tackled Scott and knocked his glasses off, rendering him blind. Toad had pulled Helen's legs out from under her with his tongue and Pietro was after Evan. The teams were even and it looked as if the X-Men were losing. 

"Well," Scarlett sighed, standing up, "time to end the fight once and for all." She already belonged to a team, there was no question about that and her loyalty belonged to that team. Being a traitor would mean throwing away her morals. And her morals were the only things she had left. 

She snuck back inside to her locker and worked the combination. She looked down the hall to her left to make sure no one was coming as she grabbed the light blue, silver-trimmed outfit. 


	6. The Battle

6thebattle.html Summary: There are 2 new mutants at Bayville high. One is an outgoing senior who is trying to look out for the younger one, the other is an easily manipulated, self-conscious sophomore. Both have their own reasons for not getting close to people. 

Disclaimer: Don't own X-M: E. I own Scarlett and Helen, tho. 

Author's Note: Thank you to all who read and reviewed this! If you read it, please review. ... Please? And tell your friends! *big smiley!* :-D !   


Chapter 6: The Battle   


Scarlett ducked into the girl's bathroom, looking over her shoulder. She shut the door to a stall and pulled on her costume. It was a light blue body suit with silver trim and a sort of blue triangle that fell over her forehead and framed her face and then some more fabric that connected it around her ears and under her neck and connected that with the rest of the costume. It didn't cover the top of her head so her blonde hair fell over her shoulders. It was connected with light blue gloves and the fingers cut off of it. There was a paler blue line-like thing that covered her front and went down the front and inside of her legs and ended at the ankles, which were covered by silver and black combat boots. 

She stepped out of the stall and looked out the window. 

The battle was leaning more toward the enemy's side. 

She ran out of the bathroom and ran down the now darkened hallway. The sun was beginning to set and light was limited. As she ran, she adjusted her gloves so that she would be to test a new idea of hers for her powers. 

"Oh, God, I am never gonna survive this, am I?" she whimpered, terrified of the ensuing battle that was happening just outside of her school. "I'll be lucky if I don't get expelled!" she panted as she skidded around a corner. She knew that if Ms. Darkholme - Mystique now.>> she mentally corrected herself - caught her fighting on school grounds without her consent or if someone else - a teacher or parent - were to see her using her powers and fighting against other students that she and her father would have to move from their home in Bayville to another town more inconspicuos. And there were very few towns like that. 

She was almost to the side entrance of the school and knew that she shouldn't go out there, that using her powers would only result in pain and suffering. If not for her victims, then for her if she were caugh. She spotted a door at the end of the hallway. She ran toward it and stopped, still reconsidering whether or not she should go out there. Finally, she reached out her hand and grabbed the door knob. 

*** 

Helen dodged an attack from the Blob and sent him knocking down a tree. He only turned around and continued after her. "Oh, Jea-ean?" Helen called. "When are the others coming?" 

"They should be here soon. Until then, stay focused!" 

"I'm doin' my best here! I wasn't really expecting an attack!" She psionically followed Toads movements and finally became his shadow and, with a kick, sent him flying into the Blob. 

"Good work, Sadey." 

"With pleasure," she smiled, bowing. She was knocked off her feet by a tremor. The tree that the Blob had broken came crashing down towards her. She quickly formed into a shadow and sped out of the way. She reformed just in time to see it crash to the ground, it's branches brushing up against the building. 

*** 

A large crash just outside the door made Scarlett jump back, her hand shaking. It's not that big o' deal, Scar. They've obviously been in fights and survived, what is it about you that makes it so _you_ won't either? Nothing! You'll be okay!>> she told herself, forcing herself to believe it. 

She opened the door, finding tree branches in her way. She squeezed past them and found a place in the shadows where she could watch. 

She watched as two emerald green eyes opened in Avalanche's shadow. She remembered how Shadow had told her that that was the only part of her body that couldn't "shadow-morph", as Scarlett called it. To keep up with their movements, Shadow had also told her that she tapped into a minor psionic power to see ahead in time accurately, but only for one second. 

"What'sa matter? Afraid of your own _shadow_?" she mocked. 

Scarlett smiled, recalling how Shadow had told her that she always wanted to use that line. She remembered how she had never thought of any catch-phrases, only excuses, for her powers. She hadn't even picked a name yet. She had never before imagined herself in that position before. She looked down at herself, at the blue and silver outfit she had on. 

It wasn't entirely true, she _had_ imagined herself fighting for justice at one point in her life, a few years back, when she was in 2nd grade and watching power rangers as she sat in the middle of the living room floor. She imagined herself as one of them and fighting against big, bad supervillians. But then she had found out that justice didn't cover people like her. She learned that she was on her own from the moment she was born, with her pale blue hair and tiny pointed fangs. 

Shadow reformed her leg and knocked Avalanche's legs out from under him. 

Scarlett knew there was still a chance to change sides. She had a reason to fight for both, though not very strong ones: Mystique had invited her over to the Brotherhood and she belonged to that one, however, Helen - or Shadow, now - belonged to the rivalling team, the X-Men. Neither seemed good options, she would be a traitor either way. She only had to choose the lesser of the two evils. Oh, forget it. I know which team I'm fighting for. It's the only team I have any sort of allegiance with.>> 

As the enemy began to close in, Scarlett remained hidden in the shadows of the oncoming evening. She shut her eyes, furrowed her brow, and concentrated, just as she had done back in 7th grade. She prayed she still remembered it. Finally, she felt strangely calm, strangely serene. She knew she was doing it right. She lost all feeling in her legs, and then her torso. Soon, she felt completely numb and a little sleepy, but more awake than she had ever felt in her life; as if she were in a dream. She opened her eyes and her sight was blurred at the edges. She looked down at her body and watched as it water to the shape of her body. She was completely liquified and somewhat transparent. 

The enemy hadn't seen her yet, but the others had and their eyes were wide in shock. 

Scarlett gathered moisture from the air around her and used it to make her arms larger and stronger. Within a moment's time, she had a large wave. The large wave grew and grew until it was bigger than any of them combined. It rushed over their heads and knocking them to the ground just after they turned around, surprise marking their face. It knocked them to the ground and put them into a state of shock. 

As the water shrunk back and was either absorbed into the ground or evaporated once more into the air, Scarlett was revealed, standing in her true form behind the fallen Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. 

She smiled weakly and raised her hand halfway in a sort of wave. "Hi," she said softly and weakly.   



	7. Explanations

7explanations.html Took me long enough to get this chapter up. The next one will be quicker. I promise. This is pretty much the explanation Scarlett's dad gets for why she didn't come home that afternoon. :) . 

Chapter 7: Explanations 

Scarlett sat in the back of the red convertible, crushed under the weight of her back pack as she held it close, as if trying to hide from everyone. She was still in uniform and had left her clothes in her locker. But as Scott neared her house, she saw a police car parked outside her house. 

"Could you drive around the corner, please?" Scarlett asked timidly. 

Scott glanced at the police car and nodded. 

Once out of the car, Scarlett thanked him for the ride home and formed into liquid. She slid between the cracks of a fence and moved along the backyards of different neighbors until she was at her own. She then reformed, climbed a tree, and then changed back into water and made her way under the window pane and into her room. There, she undressed and put on her everyday-clothes and hid her costume in her pillow case. Once she had disposed of her backpack, she reformed into water and opened the window to make her escape easier and soon found herself back down on the ground. 

She straightened her clothes and then adjusted them, to make them look worn, as if she had been wearing them all day. He hadn't been home that morning, so he wouldn't know what she had been wearing. 

As she made her way to the door, her father met her. 

"Hi, dad," she said calmly. "What's with the police car?" 

All he could do was hug her. "For the love of God, Scarlett, where on Earth were you?" 

"I was at the school." 

"Couldn't you at least call? I called Helen's house and you weren't there, there was no one in the school office when I called there, I had no idea where else you could have been!" 

"I'm sorry, dad. I promise. I'll phone ahead next time." 

He let go of her and she saw two policemen behind him. "This your daughter?" 

He nodded. 

"I guess we'll be going then." And to Scarlett he said, "Next time, let him know where you are. You had him very worried. You're lucky to have a father that cares that much for you." 

Scarlett just nodded, sensing the irony, wondering if he cared just a little bit too much. As she and her father walked back inside, the questions began. 

"Where were you?" 

"I said. At the school." 

"Who with?" 

"Helen and some other people." 

"Who?" 

" ... Why does it matter?" 

"Because there are some people I just don't want you hanging around with. You could get hurt." 

"Scott Summers, Evan Daniels, Jean Grey, and Pietro Maximoff." She intentionally left out the rest of the Brotherhood, knowing that her father didn't particularly approve of them. Pietro hadn't done anything too bad, that he was aware of. 

"Maximoff? The kid that trashed the lockers at his old school?" 

Scratch that. He did know. "Yeah." 

"I don't want you around him anymore." 

" ... But - " A little reverse psychology here and there ...>> 

"No 'buts'. I don't trust him." 

"I'll try." 

"No, you will do it." 

" ... Fine." I hope I didn't go over too easy.>> 

"Who else?" 

"Scott, Evan, and Jean." 

"I guess their okay. They all live at that mansion, right?" 

"Yeah." 

"Are they your new friends?" 

Scarlett tried to remember how they had treated her in the past. They hadn't noticed her. But not many people did. She was in a few of Kitty's classes, but that didn't give her much of a connection with the others. Whenever Jean was around her, she would be nice. During the fight, she was congratulated and they seemed certainly glad that she had switched over. But would the qualify as friends? "I dunno. I guess. They're okay." 

"Do they know?" 

"Know what -? Oh, yeah. _That_. They, um, well, I have a feeling they'll be okay about it." 

"How can you know for sure? Helen knows you're a mutant. You can trust her, but if those other kids you named let it leak out ... I don't know what we'll do." 

"I'll be careful. I always am." 

Her dad sighed. "You know I'm just trying to look out for you, right, Scar?" 

"Yeah," Scarlett said, "I know." She really wished he wouldn't. Just once, she wished that nobody cared about her well-being. With nobody caring, there would be no stress ... right? "Can I go up to my room now?" 

"Yeah, sure. Oh, and, Scar?" 

She froze, her foot on the first step, and turned around. "Yeah?" 

"What were you doing at the school? You can't be so secretive. Tell me." 

"Nothing. We were doing nothnig." 

" ... I don't believe you. Do you want me to call the Xavier Mansion or Helen to find out." 

" We were just working on some school work and talking." 

"About what?" 

"About anything! What, do you think I'm gonna blow up the school? Or light the house on fire? Do you think _anyone_ at Bayville has the resources to do _any_ damage?! God, you treat me like an infant all the time! I'm _16_, for God's sake." Scarlett had snapped. 

He was silent for a long time. "Go up to your room." 

"I'm gone," she said, as she hurried up the stairs and shut the door loudly behind her, but not loud enough to be considered a slam. 

He watched her go, then walked over to phone and waited ten minutes, enough time for the others to get home to the mansion. He then began to dial. 

*** 

Kurt froze as the phone began to ring on the Professor's desk. He knew he shouldn't be in the office. After the second ring, Kurt picked up the phone as Evan walked in. "Güten täg?" 

"Hello? This is Scarlett's father. Is Mr. Xavier there? I have to talk with him about where my daughter was this afternoon." 

"Oh, ja, zat. He's not here right now." 

"Well, then, do you know what she was doing at the school? She says she was talking with some people named Evan, Scott, and Jean, but she won't tell me what about. I intend to find out." 

Kurt turned around to look at Evan and smiled evilly. "Ja. I'm not sure you should know about zis, but ... " 

"I need to know." 

"I don't zink so. It's not for your ears." 

"Does it concern Scarlett?" 

"Oh, yes. Very much." 

"Then I need to know." 

"Vell, Evan asked Scarlett out and she turned him down." 

"I WHAT?!" 

Kurt reached back and covered Evan's face with one of his blue, three-fingered hands. 

"Mmmf!" 

"Ja. She probably doesn't really vant to talk about it." 

"I'll kill you, man. I swear ta God, you're goin' down, Wagner." 

"Hold on," Kurt said into the phone. Then loudly, so that the person on the other line could still hear, he said, "Let it go, mein freund. You'll live." 

"You won't!" Evan began to form a spike in his hand and Kurt's eyes widened. 

"I have to go now. Somezing came up." He quickly hung up the phone. "See ya!" *BAMF!* Kurt teleported out of the room. 

*** 

He hung up the phone and paused a moment before heading up to Scarlett's room. He knocked on the door. 

"Come in," she said. 

The door cracked open and her father entered. "Scarlett, I just got off the phone with someone at the mansion." 

" ... You did?" 

"Yeah, and you know you can tell me about stuff like that. I know you don't _want_ to, but feel free to come to me for advice on these matters. You can always talk to me about these issues." 

Scarlett narrowed her eyes and tilted her head away from him. " ... I can?" 

"Yes. I'll always listen." 

"Just curious ... how much do you know?" 

"I know about your little relationship with Evan." 

"My what now?" 

"Well, non-existent one. How he asked you out today." 

" ... Yes," Scarlett agreed. "Yes he did." 

"It explains a lot about why you were so secretive today." 

"Yes. It certainly does." Scarlett put down the small blue, button-shaped pillow she had been hugging to her chest. "Thank you for talking about this with me. I'm gonna get ready for bed now. I'm kinda tired, so ... good night." 

"Good night, Scarlett." He kissed her on her forehead and left the room, shutting the door behind him. 

"Oh, and one question?" she called after him. "Who did you talk to?" 

"I don't know. Someone with a German accent." 

"Okay." She watched him leave, then picked up her pillow again. "Kurt," she mumbled. "Figures." She pulled back the covers and began to get ready for bed. 


	8. Gone

8gone.html The song in this chapter is "Impression That I Get" by Mighty Mighty Bosstones. This is chapter 8 and this story only has a few more chapters in it. :( Too bad. I enjoyed writing it :( . Please tell your friends about this story, okay? Thanx! 

Chapter 8: Gone 

Scarlett held her thermometer up to the lamp the next morning as she heard footsteps walking down the hall towards her room. She began rubbing her eyes hard and then, when they weren't pink enough, she forced herself to jab herself in the eye. That got it red and it also got her to start sniffing. She popped the thermometer in her mouth. 99.9°F. Perfect. 

"Dad?" she asked weakly as he opened the door. "I don't feel very good." She muffled a cough into her right arm. 

He looked concerned and looked at the thermometer, which had risen by then to 100°F. "Do you want to stay home?" 

"I don't know. I don't want to get behind in school." 

"It's your call. And you're a good student. I think you could afford to skip a day of school." He began to close the door. "I'll go call the office and tell them you won't be at school today." 

"Okay," she said softly, as sickly, tired, and sad as she could. Scarlett watched as he left and then threw the thermometer across the room. She turned on her side to go to sleep for the rest of the morning and pouted in depression as she turned on her digital-clock FM/AM radio.__

_Have you ever been close to tragedy_   
_Or been close to folks who have_   
_Have you ever felt a pain so powerful_   
_So heavy you collapse___

_I've never had to knock on wood_   
_But I know someone who has_   
_Which makes me wonder if I could_   
_It makes me wonder if_   
_I've never had to knock on wood_   
_And I'm glad I haven't yet_   
_Because I'm sure it isn't good_   
_That's the impression that I get___

_Have you ever had the odds stacked up so high_   
_You need a strength most don't possess_   
_Or has it ever come down to do or die_   
_You've got to rise above the rest___

_I've never had to knock on wood_   
_But I know someone who has_   
_Which makes me wonder if I could_   
_It makes me wonder if_   
_I've never had to knock on wood_   
_And I'm glad I haven't yet_   
_Because I'm sure it isn't good_   
_That's the impression that I get___

_I'm not a coward, I've just never been tested_   
_I'd like to think that if I was, I would pass_   
_Look at the tested and think there but for the grace go I_   
_Might be a coward, I'm afraid of what I might find out___

_I've never had to knock on wood_   
_But I know someone who has_   
_Which makes me wonder if I could_   
_It makes me wonder if_   
_I've never had to knock on wood_   
_And I'm glad I haven't yet_   
_Because I'm sure it isn't good_   
_That's the impression that I get_

*** 

When Scarlett's dad came home that evening, he found her already sitting on the couch waiting for him. She still looked a little sickly, but not from the supposed flu. She looked more grave than ill. 

"Hey, Scar! You should be in bed, shouldn't you?" he said, setting his briefcase down on the ground in the entry hall and walking into the living room. 

"Dad," she said softly. She still sounded depressed from that morning. "I have to talk to you for a second." 

"Yeah. Sure. What's up?" He sat down next to her on the couch. 

"You know how you're always telling me that you think I should have a tutor?" she reminded him. "So I wouldn't have to dye my hair all the time? And so I would be free to just be myself? And I might be able to practice my mutant powers sometimes?" She paused for a moment and then began again with an almost sigh. "I think I'd like to take you up on that offer." 


	9. Fork In The Road

9 Summary: If you don't know by now, you don't deserve to know.   
Disclaimer: Honestly, do you really think that the X-Men are _mine_? I'm not special enough for that. But I _am_ special enough to own Scarlett and Helen! Go, me, go! 

Author's Note: I added Chapter 9 and - surprisingly - people started reading it! *Chokes back tears* Yay! And, because Peace_Angel wanted it, Chapter 9: Fork In The Road has been posted a lot sooner than planned.   


Chapter 9: Fork In The Road 

Helen sat at her desk and tried to pay attention. Scarlett hadn't come to school for a week. At first, Helen had passed this off as a sudden case of the flu, but the more she added everything up, the more she wasn't quite sure of that. She was worried about Scarlett and she doubted that she was really sick. 

The bell rang and Helen immediately packed up her books and slung her backpack over her shoulder. It was lunchtime and she didn't particularly feel like eating. In the mass of students, she pushed her way towards the outside picnic tables. It was getting warmer so most prefered to sit outside in the warm sun. 

Helen took one last look at the table where Scarlett and she used to sit and then passed by it. As she walked by, she remembered how she had once formed into the shadow of a squirrel and chased it, thoroughly confusing it. Scarlett had burst into giggles with a mouthful of milk. It was also the table where she had found Scarlett at the night of her first battle with the Brotherhood and when Scarlett had seemingly switched sides for a moment. 

She headed straight for Scott and Jean. Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, and Evan were coming out of the building. 

"Hey, Helen." 

"Hi, Scott," Helen greeted her fellow X-Man and classmate. She sat down at the table across from Jean. Scott was sitting at the end, next to Jean. Helen took out her lunch and began to play with the paperbag. She folded it and unwrapped it, and then tore at it with her fingers. 

"You okay?" Jean asked. Helen looked a little sad and her head was tilted downward, which was very unlike her. She was normally talkative and generally a happy person. 

"Just fine, why?" she said looking up. She was obviously trying to hide worry and sadness in her eyes. But Jean didn't need her telepathy to know that something was really bothering her. 

"No reason. You've just seemed a little down lately, that's all," Jean said, hoping that she would open up a little. 

"No, I'm okay," Helen insisted. "Really. It's just . . . " Helen trailed off and looked at the table. "Do you know whatever happened to Scarlett?" 

Jean and Scott looked at each other and Rogue frowned as she remembered a rumor going around school and an announcement from a teacher. "There was an announcement this morning. Ah heard that she just dropped out all together. She's being home-schooled now, Ah think." 

"She's what?!" 

"Ya didn't know?" Rogue asked. "If ya ask me, Ah'd say she's pretty lucky. She's got no more classes with our French teacher," she added bitterly. 

"You know what _I_ think is weird?" Jean asked, looking around the table at the faces of the rest of the X-Men. Everyone was looking at her. "Usually, anyone who doesn't join us, joins the Brotherhood. But Scarlett just disappeared altogether. She never ultimately chose a side." 

"_I_ think she did," Shadow said. "At the end. Remember? She totally wiped out the Brotherhood." 

"She may have turned against them, but that doesn't necessarily mean she turned _to_ us," Jean said seriously. 

Shadow looked at the wooden table and her bag lunch. "I think that _was_ her choice," she said quietly. 

_Mad Season_ . . . coming soon . . . 


	10. Just Passing By

10 Summary: Scarlett gets a visit from an old friend! I should be wrapping this all up soon. Maybe about 5 more chapters.   
Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men, own Scarlett Helen. 

Chapter 10: Just Passing By 

Scarlett sat at her desk in her bedroom, reading over some last minute history texts for the pop quiz the next day. One of the pluses of being a low-grade psychic: knowledge when your tutor would sneak a pop quiz on you. Scarlett continued to underline and write notes in the margins with her pencil. 

She looked over at the clock blinking six. It had been three months since she had withdrew from high school and from the world. It had been six weeks since she had even been outside. She just didn't find a reason to anymore. She didn't notice the shadow seeping under the door. 

"Hey, Scarlett. Remember me?" 

Scarlett jumped and whirled around, but calmed down slightly after she saw Helen. "Helen! What are you doing here?!" 

The shadow reformed to Helen as she arose from the floor. "Just came to check up on you." She walked over to the bed and sat down, her face showing noticeable worry. "What's up? Where've you been?" As she looked at Scarlett she noticed that her fair skin had taken on a sickly white pallor and her eyes seemed dead. 

"Just . . . " She looked away. "Inside." 

"I thought I'd see you at our normal hangouts." 

"I . . . didn't really have any reason to go. I told you. I've . . . been inside." 

"For two weeks?" Helen asked softly, raising her eyebrows a little. 

Scarlett sat down at her desk and opened her book. "Six," she murmured to herself, though Helen overheard. "I have to study. My dad makes me . . . " 

"We both know that's not true," Helen sad, slamming the book shut. "Is this about the Brotherhood?" 

" . . . Maybe . . . " 

"What about them?! You don't owe them anything! The X-Men were never your enemies and once they're on your side then you're never alone!" 

Scarlett's answer was in a quiet, low voice. "Is that what they told you?" 

Helen was silent for a moment before asking, " . . . wha'?" 

"Is that what they told you? That you'd never be alone?" 

"Yeah. It is." 

"Because _they'd_ never be alone, then no one else would, either? Is that what they brainwashed you into saying and thinking?" 

"Scarlett, what are you saying?" Helen asked in tired exasperation. 

She turned around and her dead eyes flashed anger. "I'm saying that sometimes not everyone plays well with others." 

"What?" 

"There are just some people in the world who just can't cope!" she said louder, pushing her chair up and standing to face Shadow. "There are just some people in the world that are just gonna be alone no matter what!" She paused and her voice grew softer. "I'm one of the people." 

Helen was silent. 

Scarlett paced the room and walked to the head of her bed. "Thank you and all for trying to take my loneliness away for just a little while, but . . . I guess . . . it didn't work as well as you thought it would. There are just some people in life . . . that . . . "Her voice was beginning to quake and she could feel her hands and feet becoming moist with water. A drop of water dripped from her finger onto the floor as she sniffed. "That . . . you just can't help. So . . . I think it would be best if you just left now." She looked up at Helen. "Okay? Just leave." 

"So, what you're saying is our friendship of two years meant nothing to you? That you've never once opened up to me and you've never once felt that the world wasn't such a bad place after all?" 

" . . . No," she lied. 

"Then maybe you're right," Helen said, sinking back into the floor. Her green eyes were still visible. "Maybe I _should_ go." Helen seeped back under the door, leaving Scarlett's room. 

Scarlett fell onto her bed, crying. Within five minutes, she was too weak to fight her mutant powers and she formed into a puddle of water. 

*** 

"Hey, Shadow!" Kitty called to Helen as she walked up the walkway to the mansion. "Where've you been? Scott, like, totally _flipped_ when no one knew where you were!" 

"Just been . . . talking to someone." Helen was frowning and stormed past Kitty Pryde and straight to the door with Kitty trailing after her. 

"Who?" 

There was really no reason for Helen to keep any secrets from Kitty. She had nothing to hide, Scarlett was the one who was messed up. "Scarlett." 

Kitty's eyes widened. "Scarlett? How's she doin'?" 

"Not too good, actually." 

"Like how?" 

"Depressed. Hasn't gone outside in a few days." 

"Bummer." 

"Yeah." Helen opened the door and let herself and Kitty in. 

"Do you think we should go visit her? See how she's doing, maybe? Maybe she'd like to join us now! Wha'do you think?" 

"No." The abruptness of her answer caused Kitty to stop and even surprised herself. 

" . . . Why?" Kitty asked softly. 

" 'Cause some people just don't play well with others." She formed into a shadow and disappeared to her room, leaving Kitty stranded in the hallway.   
  


_Mad Season_: Coming soon to FanFiction.net/ . 


	11. One Last Offer

Summary: Getting near the end now. I only have a few more chapters to load. This one is about Kurt and Kitty trying to help the situation.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men, own Scarlett, Helen.   
  
  
Chapter 11: One Last Offer  
  
"Güten Täg, Keitzchen," Kurt greeted, bamfing into her room. "It's time to eat."  
  
Kitty put down her book and sat up from her bed and frowned. "Have you noticed anything weird about Helen lately?"  
  
"Helen?"  
  
"Yeah, you know. Tall girl," she said, holding her hand up in the air on her tip toes. "Turns into a shadow, now seen with a scowl on her face . . . that Helen?"  
  
"I know who Helen is! But vhat's wrong viz her?"  
  
"Something with Scarlett, I think. She was at her house earlier today. And . . . she just came home all ticked off and stuff. Did she tell you why?"  
  
Kurt sighed and smiled. "Does anyvun ever tell me anyzing?"  
  
Kitty frowned, ignoring his attempt to humor the situation. "Maybe I'll find out . . . "she said, answering herself instead of him and phasing through the floor.  
  
***  
  
All through dinner, Kitty thought about the sudden change in attitude that had undergone Helen. Kurt thought about what was bothering Kitty and if it was anything to worry about. Helen thought about her failing friendship with Scarlett. Jean noticed tension in the room sans psychic ability and was looking up at Kitty, Kurt, and Helen. Scott, noticing the red-haired girl's reaction to the others became confused. The Professor was worried about his students, but had decided to talk with them each separately later. Storm's motherly instincts kicked in and she had the same notion as the Professor. Logan glanced at the table, glaring at everyone, considerably mad that something was going on, only he didn't know what.  
  
Rogue noticed but just didn't care, whereas Evan just didn't notice.  
  
When dinner ended, Professor Xavier and Storm decided against talking with their students, both deciding to let them make the first move.  
  
Kitty excused herself from the table at the same time as Kurt and followed him upstairs. Once at the second floor, Kitty spoke. "Kurt? Remember how I said Helen was acting all weird and junk?"  
  
"Ja."  
  
"Could you do me a really big favor?"  
  
"Uhhhhhhhhhm . . . "  
  
"Please?" Kitty begged, trying to make herself look as cute as possible.  
  
Kurt looked slightly hurt and disgusted with himself. "Alright, Kitty," he agreed with a sigh. "Vhat is it?"  
  
"Teleport us to Glenswood Road."  
  
He frowned. "Vhy?"  
  
"I gotta go there. I have to figure out what's wrong with Helen and I think - I know - it has something to do with Scarlett."  
  
Kurt was silent for a moment. "Go lock your door and put some pillows under your blankets. I'll do ze same."  
  
As they both returned, they looked nervous. When Kitty first had met Kurt, she found him to be an almost intolerable flirt with a constant sense of humor, but ever since the X-Men's brush with WeaponX and the chip being removed from Wolverine's head, she found him to be a great partner in crime. They had grown closer over the last few months, but only a little and they both knew it wasn't in the way the Kurt would have liked.  
  
"Ready to go?"  
  
Kurt nodded and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
*BAMF!* Kurt and Kitty were transported to the corner of Glenswood Road. "This is her house," Kitty pointed. Kurt followed her finger to a white, surburban house a few houses down the road.  
  
"Vhat exactly are ve going to do, Kitty?"  
  
"We need to talk to her. Figure out what went wrong with her and Helen," she said, walking towards the house.  
  
"Shouldn't ve leave it to zem to figure everyzing out for zemselves?"  
  
She turned around. "Do you honestly think that Scarlett will take it upon herself to make things all better? And Helen looked like she never wanted to see any of us again!"  
  
"It's not for us to interfere wiz!"  
  
"Kurt, some things just need interfering with. Now are you with me, or not?"  
  
Kurt sighed and looked into Kitty's eyes. Her eyes were shining even brighter in the night and with her eyes squinted into a glare. But they were just friends . . . "Fine."  
  
Kurt and Kitty walked up the street to the house and rang the doorbell. From inside they hard the patter of feet trotting to the door. A somewhat shrouded figure opened the door. They were wearing a dark, hooded sweatshirt that was intentionally pulled far over the head so that the eyes and hair weren't visible, but surprise was still evident on the person's face.  
  
"Kurt? Kitty? What are you - ?" Scarlett shut her mouth and looked at them for a minute, then turned around. "Okay, get in," she murmured, opening the door wider. "Quick. Before my dad hears you."  
  
"Scar? Who's there?"  
  
"No one, Dad! I was just, um, checking to see if it was raining."  
  
"I thought I heard a knock."  
  
"No, that was just me. Bye!" She slammed the door and pointed up the stairs and followed the two up to her room and shut the door. "Okay, now what are you two doing here?" She pulled off her hood, revealing the beginning of blue to peak out through her wavy, bleached-blonde hair. She noticed the surprise in their eyes as they saw her blue hair. But this time she was more annoyed than depressed. "Is this some sick joke? First Helen, now you, and I don't even know you! So just tell me your business and get out.  
  
"Scarlett, you're acting so . . . different."  
  
"Oh, different?" Scarlett snapped. "How different? Would you even know? It's not like you ever talked to me before you knew I was a mutant. And now you're here giving me your pity. Well, I don't need it!"  
  
"Scarlett," Kurt said, "Ve're not here to pity you."  
  
"Then what are you here for? Tell me and then get back to your perfect little lives."  
  
"Perfect?!" Kitty exclaimed. She had come to help Scarlett and met with a sudden change of character from her. "You think our lives are perfect?"  
  
"Get on with it."  
  
"We just came to help you!"  
  
"And I would need your help . . . why?"  
  
"Because you and Helen - "  
  
"Oh, her."  
  
"You and Helen have been friends since forever."  
  
"We all make mistakes."  
  
"Will you just listen for a minute?! You've been cooped up in this house way too long and, frankly, we've all been worried about you!"  
  
"Oh, really," Scarlett replied indignantly. She was getting tired of people always thinking they knew what was best for her. "Nice way you have of showing it."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It means that when I started school, I had not one friend," she started, suddenly looking as if she were about to cry. She could see them start to soften and she didn't like that. When she was trying to appear strong, she got pity instead. But when she had really needed help, people had treated her like she were strong enough to handle it. "But did any of you try to talk to me? NO! Only Helen! You say you're all for equal rights, but you don't bother helping anyone unless you're sure they're mutant! It's not fair! And then, two months after you figure out I truly needed help, you come to quote-unquote 'rescue me'. Well, some things just happen to late! . . . You were too late," she added softly, sinking to the floor.  
  
Kurt looked at Kitty who had no words to either apologize or defend herself. Kurt decided that neither would have been appropriate. He approached Scarlett. "You and I boz know zat zat's not true. Ve shouldn't have assumed zat you didn't need our help, mutant or not. But sometimes you vill have to take it upon yourself to be 'rescued'. You know vhere ve are if you ever decide to join us. And you also know zat it's never too late for anyzing. And I know zat zere vill be a huge velcoming committee if you ever decide you vant to join ze X-Men." He turned back to Kitty. "Ready to go?"  
  
She nodded, still eyeing Scarlett. "And Scarlett, if you ever need to contact us . . . " She dropped a small, black, rectangular box with a button on it onto the bed. "Just use that. It's like a transmittor-thingy. You just click the button and we can hear you. Like a walkie-talkie, only psychic. We'll come and get you wherever you are, at whatever time you want to join. I mean, like, if you want to join, that is. Well . . . bye."  
  
*BAMF!*  
  
Scarlett sat there a minute, her grey eyes large and bewildered. She glanced at the black box and fumed. She picked it up and dashed it against the carpetted floor then proceeded to step on it. But it wouldn't break. She lifted up her bed and dropped one of the legs on it, then jumped on the bed and pushed down with her hands. But it still wouldn't break. There was only one small dent. She heaved a few breaths, then picked it up and threw it in her closet under a heap of clothes. "I'll never see you again!" she yelled before slamming the door. She fell down onto the bed and folded her arms under her head and glared at the wall and windowpanes.  
  



	12. Breakdowns

Chapter 12: Breakdowns  
  
*BAMF*  
  
"Vell, _zat _didn't go very vell."  
  
"She brought it upon herself."  
  
"Kitty . . . "  
  
"Well, she did." Kitty crossed her arms and looked away from her friend. "She's messed up. Being cooped up in that house did _not _do her any good."  
  
"Ve agree on vun zing zen. But I guess if she doesn't vant to come, ve can't force her. Like ze Prof says, ya know? 'She'll come of her own free vill . . . or not at all.' "  
  
Kitty turned back around to face him, her arms relaxing and she was smiling a little bit. "I can't believe your, like, quoting the Professor."  
  
"Heh, ja, but I von't be making a habit out of it."  
  
" 'Night, Fuzzy Elf."  
  
"G'night, Kietzchen." Kitty shut the door to her room as Kurt teleported into his.  
  
***  
  
Scarlett awoke the next morning to find rain drops streaming down her windows, crawling slowly to rot the wooden panes. "Great, and I was just about to go outside today." Thankfully, she put her aside her plans of venturing outside to the world.  
  
She wasted no time in swinging her legs out of bed and showering, combing her blonde-growing-blue wet hair. Nearly 8 weeks and two haircuts later, she had a third of her hair a pale blue, just as it had originally been before her father had somehow gotten it into his head that she needed to socialize more with the world if she was to learn how to survive on her own.  
  
Well, she had proved _him _wrong. She was doing just fine on her own, inside, away from people who would try to hurt her. That had been the plan all along. That was what her mother had wanted for her. She had wanted Scarlett to survive on her own. That was why she had kept her inside until she had died so long ago. Or left. Or was kidnapped. Whatever the reason, her mother was gone. But before then, she had been taught the ABCs, how to color within the lines, and how to write her name, all before the age of three. Minor accomplishments, but extravagant for a child her age without any outside help, save from her parents. And because of her early learning, she had been given a step up in education. Had even skipped two grades in elementary school.  
  
But she couldn't handle the challenges. Her grades had slipped and she was sent back to her first grade class again.  
  
She had laughed and her "friends" had seen the fangs, sending her into a whirlpool of doubt, self-consciousness, and the world of an outcast among outcasts: a mutant. That same night, after that horrible slumber party, she had cried and it had taken all her strength just to reform again. A week later, she was reading minds and discovered she hadn't a friend in the world.  
  
Helen wasn't so different than herself. She had discovered her powers at a later age, at fourteen as opposed to twelve. It had been years ago, in 1964. Helen had always looked young for her age. But, until she was in the 8th grade, she didn't know how true that was. She had pushed her boyfriend and watched him fall down a flight of steps, knocked unconscious, arm at an odd angle. She had called an ambulance and waited inside, horrified at herself, when she had felt eerily calm and began sinking into the ground, becoming the nearby shadow of a coffee table, only her green eyes visible.  
  
That was Helen's trademark: her bright green eyes. No matter what she did, they were always visible. Unless she closed them in her shadow form. To see where she was going and how to move, Shadow had revealed to Scarlett that she could see ahead in time for only a second so that she could perfectly mimic other's movements, thereby staying hidden.  
  
She tried to give no more thought to the rain outside and to her ex-classmates in Bayville High or to the X-Men or to Helen.  
  
***  
  
Helen skimmed through the mansion as a shadow, passing under doors until she got to the kitchen where she reformed and grabbed an apple. "Hey, Logan," she greeted dully. He merely grunted a response. "Yeah, nice to see you, too." She returned to her shadow state and retired to her room. It was a cold Monday morning and she wasn't too excited about returning to school for no other reason than the more than adequate supply of homework.  
  
"Hey, Rogue," Helen said, reforming to walk the rest of the way to her room, wanting to stretch her legs a bit.  
  
"Hi, Shadow. How ya doin'?"  
  
"I'm okay. Why?"  
  
Rogue shrugged. Helen knew perfectly well that Rogue rarely if ever inquired about people. "Word is ya went to see yer friend a few days ago."  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"No need to get all snippy," Rogue said, waving her off. "Just wanted to know how things are between ya'll."  
  
"Although it's none of your business," Shadow fired back irritably, sick of all the attention that little spoiled brat was getting, "she's locking herself up and treating everyone like less than dirt." She whirled around and slammed the door."  
  
"Geez, what's _her_ problem," Rogue muttered, retiring her room as well. "It's not like they're not friends anymore . . . " 


	13. Yearbooks

Disclaimer: . . . If by now you still need me to tell you, then you don't need to know.  
Summary: It's the third to last chapter. You don't need to know.  
  
Chapter 13: YearBooks  
  
Rogue drummed her fingers idly on the desk, her chin resting against her other hand. That Monday had been longer than any she had known. But, then again, that was what she told herself every Monday afternoon. She watched the clock tick by. Just fifteen more minutes. Fifteen, agonizing minutes.   
  
A quarter of an hour later, the bell rang and Rogue was halfway out of her seat before she was told to sit down because he still needed to hand out yearbooks which, thanks to the great funding of the yearbook club this year, had come in a little early.  
  
Although she was grateful of receiving her yearbook, she _did _really, really want to get home before it began raining again. As the yearbooks were handed out, Rogue admired the gold engraving that read Bayville High School in cursive caligraphy lettering.  
  
"Class, class, listen up. Does anyone know a Scarlett Marsden?"  
  
There was a silence until someone asked, "A who now?" and received laughter. There was a jumble of, "Isn't she that really quiet one that left" and "Yeah, she never said anything. She was, like, sooo creepy" and "Man, I'm gonna miss my bus!"  
  
"Okay, that's enough now. Does anyone want to give her her yearbook?"  
  
No one raised their hand.  
  
"Anyone at all? Because if we send it she may not get it for a week and signings will be over by then." Still, no one said anything and the teacher was getting fed up with the immaturity of his students. "How would you like it if you wouldn't get your yearbook? Huh? Will someone please just do this one thing for her?"  
  
"No, sir, it's not that," one student said. "It's just that . . . she never really said _anything_ to anybody and no one really knows her _at all_. I mean, if I knew her, I'd do it. But since we don't even know her number, let alone address, we can't really."  
  
Rogue raised her hand. She was getting rather annoyed. It was Monday, drizzling, gray, cold, and she needed to get to her locker. "Ah know'er. I'll give'er the yearbook, sir."  
  
He seemed a little astonished that Rogue had volunteered. "Why . . . thank you. I appreciate this. As, I'm sure, will Scarlett." The yearbook was passed down to Rogue who shoved both of them into her backpack. Once someone had volunteered to deliver the yearbook, the teacher allowed the students to go home, who thanked Rogue because they could have been in there "for, like, _ever_!"  
  
Rogue pulled her sweater over her head as she rushed to Scott's red convertible. He had pulled the hood up to preven the rain from dripping in. "Hey, Scott. You wanna do me a little favor?"  
  
"Depends."  
  
"Drop me off at Scarlett's for a minute - "  
  
"Oh, God, not you, too," Scott sighed. "C'mon. She doesn't wanna join. Helen's tried, Kurt and Kitty have tried, just give it a rest."  
  
"Scotty-boy, I'm droppin off her yearbook. Not tryin' to recruit the gal."  
  
"Oh." Scott looked embarassed. "Yeah, okay then."  
  
Rogue sighed and dropped her backpack in the trunk of the car then withdrew Scarlett's yearbook from it and a black, ballpoint pen. As Scott sat in the driver's seat, staring into space through the driver's side window as he waited for the rest of the team to show up, Rogue scribbled a short message in the yearbook. _After all_, she mused, _she at least deserves to have one name in her yearbook . . . _  
  
She shut the yearbook with a smack of paper hitting paper and laid it on her lap. She stared at her black nails. She looked up momentarily as the car door slammed and Kitty scooted next to her to make room for Kurt and Evan as Jean took her spot up front.  
  
Kitty was giggling and Kurt trying to get Jean to sign his yearbook while she tried to buckled herself in first. "Hey, Rogue! Can I sign your yearbook?" Kitty smiled happily.  
  
"Oh, uh, this ain't mine. It's Scarlett's."  
  
"Oh," Kitty said. "Where's yours?"  
  
"In the trunk."  
  
"Oh . . . Sign mine?" Kitty's cheerfulness was not to be wavered. Rogue sighed and obeyed. Evan's and Kurt's were also passed to her and, by the time they had gotten to Scarlett's house, all had been signed.  
  
Rogue closed the car door behind her and walked to the front door quickley. No matter how fast she walked, her hair had gotten wait and stringy. She knocked on the door, smoothing the white locks from her face. She heard shouts from inside. "Dad?! You gonna get that?!" she heard a voice call. When there was no reply, the door opened a moment later, revealing Scarlett wearing a knit cap over her hair which was tucked behind her into her sweatshirt. She froze when she saw Rogue. "Oh. Hi." She clenched her jaw and looked off to the side, then behind her. If she told Rogue to leave, she wouldn't have to walk home in the rain, the car was still there.  
  
"Don't worry, shug," Rogue said bitterly. "Don't flatter yerself too much. Ah just came by to drop off yer _yearbook_."  
  
"Oh. Thanks," she mumbled. "I was worried you people hadn't gotten the picture yet. I'll see you later then." She began to shut the door but Rogue stopped her.  
  
"Ya know what?" Rogue said angrily. "You gotta lotta nerve treatin' us all like this. We're just tryin' ta help ya."  
  
"You're one to talk," Scarlett said between clenched teeth."  
  
"Yeah, well, at least I can see past mah own nose to the people that care 'bout me . . . Once ya got things all straightened out inside that head o' yours, then give us a call." Rogue turned around and walked briskly back to the car, slamming the car door a little too hard.  
  
"Things didn't go well?" Scott asked.  
  
"Just keep driving, Cyclops," Rogue seethed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.  
  
***  
  
Inside, Scarlett held her yearbook in front of her, admiring the sleek cover. In gold lettering at the top it read "Bayville High Memories."  
  
Not the most creative title in the world.  
  
"Scarlett? Who was that?" her father called from dining room.  
  
"Someone trying to sell some new type of soap!" she called back, amazed that she was actually lying to him.  
  
"Did you put your hat on?"  
  
"Always do." She ran upstairs to her room before he could ask her anymore questions. Once she had closed the door and put a chair in front of it, she sat down on her bed and slowly opened her yearbook. The binding crinkled as it was opened for the first time. Immediately, she went to the Sophomore year school pictures. "M, M, M," she whispered. "M! Marsden!" She looked at her picture. It was nothing special. She was smiling because she had been told to and was wearing a gray sweatshirt. Her hair was awful and stringy, having just been bleached that day for pictures and she had refused to open her mouth, not wanting to reveal her fangs.  
  
Telling herself it was pure curiousity, she turned to the "S" section. "Sadey," she said. "Helen Sadey." Helen was also smiling and wearing a black three-quarter sleeved shirt to match her black hair which was hanging down her back, not pulled in a loose ponytail as always.  
  
Scarlett felt heart broken. She was looking in the Senior section of the yearbook. The last year of high school.  
  
This was it. The last year of high school for Helen. In about four more months she would be gone forever.  
  
Scarlett had a deadened feeling in the pit of her stomach. Helen was her only friend.  
  
She turned the pages until she came to last page, the page for signatures. She was shocked to see that someone had signed.  
  
_ Hey, Scarlett,  
I don't really know what to say in this. I mean, we never really talked or anything, which is too bad because we probably have a lot more in common than any of us will ever know now. Wow. That was deep. Don't expect that happenin' ever again :).  
I hope I'll be able to see you next you. Probly not, tho. You're where you want to be, I guess.  
This is a longer signarure than anyone else is gonna get. I just thought everyone deserved a signature in their yearbook.  
It was nice knowin' ya, Scarlett. Maybe I'll see ya over the Summer.  
Have a nice life. We'll miss you.  
-Rogue  
  
_Scarlett felt sad and sick inside. 


	14. Life's Choices

Second to last chapter now. We've had a good run. Time to end it now. After this, there's just an epilogue.  
  
If you all like these characters, then I have good news. If you don't, I have bad news. Remember, in Chapter 10, I wrote _Mad Season_: Coming soon to Fanfiction.net/ . That wasn't the name of my next chapter. That was a little ad for the next generation of mutants from New York City. I guarantee that Aqua and Shadow will come back. At first, they'll only be mentioned, but they will return as part of ERA.  
  
I'll leave it at that. For those of you that like me writing, then that's a little something for people to look forward to. If you all hate me, then this is an annoyance and I will be flamed.  
  
  
Chapter 14: Life's Choices  
  
All throughout May Scarlett had sat in her room or wandered around the house like a ghost, trying not to breathe in her father's smoke from his three-pack-a-day cigarettes. The days crept by and soon it was June 1st. She'd finished her tutoring and had decided to continue her tutelage over the Summer in order to take her mind off of everything else that it might dwell on.  
  
Helen wasn't doing much better. She had long since been looking at colleges, never quite settling on one. In fact, she had been looking at colleges since Junior year but had never actually picked one, always putting off her decision for a better day. And now the day had passed long ago and no college would take her, despite her qualifications. She had waited too long.  
  
On June 2nd, Scarlett's hair was nearly halfway blue and she hadn't used her powers for so long. She had found herself staring longingly at her suitcase and looking out the window in a depressed daze.  
  
Helen had turned 26 a while ago, but her mind development and her body was still that of an 18 year old. No one, not even the most accurate of scientists or machines could tell she was 8 years older than she was. Only she and Scarlett knew.  
  
Scarlett forced herself to stop thinking about her. She had thought about nothing but the X-Men and what had happened Sophomore year for an entire month. It was time to stop. It was time to put all that behind her now.  
  
So she went to her closet and packed her bags.  
  
***  
  
"Dad, _please_."  
  
"No. No, no, no, no, no. No way am I letting you into that . . . that . . . whatever you called it."  
  
"Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters - "  
  
"I don't care!" he yelled at her. "No way am I letting my _daughter _ into a school full of _mutants_."  
  
Scarlett felt as if someone had driven a penknife into her soul. "What did you just say?" she asked softly.  
  
"I said I don't wat my daughter going to a place where she could get hurt!" her father repeated.  
  
"That's not what you said. You said a school full of mutants."  
  
"What's the difference, Scarlett, huh? What's the difference?"  
  
" . . . Not all mutants are dangerous."  
  
"These ones might be!"  
  
"No they're not!" she screamed, her face reddening. "I'll just turn to water if I get into trouble!"  
  
"And have them put you into a bottle? You'll die without food, same as we all will."  
  
"I can fight back."  
  
"You've never had fighting lessons," he countered, still intent on talking her out of her already made choice. Little did he know all his arguments were futile.  
  
She still had her most powerful weapon with her: her mind. If worst came to worst, push to shove, she could still release enzymes into his brain, putting him in a good mood and altering his decision. "I'll learn," she said slowly.  
  
"From whom? Those mutants up at that institution? I don't trust that man."  
  
"Why not?" she said, her voice even more hateful than his was when he said the word "Mutant". "Because he's a mutant? A sinner? A spawn of Satan? Just like I am?"  
  
He sighed heavily. "Scarlett, you're not a spawn of Satan."  
  
"Then why did you surround me with religion all my life? You taught me about His wrath, not His love! When I was a little girl, I was afraid I'd be struck down by lightning if someone so much as saw my fangs! Why did you teach me to be ashamed of being a mutant? What am I if not evil?" She was trying to lure him into a trap.  
  
"You're a mutant," he said simply.  
  
"And what else?"  
  
"And my daughter."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And what?" he yelled. "What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that I love you, because I do! You know that!"  
  
"This isn't about whether you love me or not," she said. She was so close to making his decision for him when she realized she didn't need it. "I'm going whether you like it or not. I just came down to ask for your blessing." Her voice was softer again and her hands were trembling. After a long silence he was just about to say something when she stood up. "I have to go now. Bus comes in fifteen minutes."  
  
"No," he said. "I for_bid_ you to leave this house."  
  
She whirled around. "For how long, huh, Dad? Forever? I've been here since Winter break. I've hardly left the house since. I'm a mutant, Daddy, not an invalid. I have a one-up on nearly everyone I meet. They can't hurt me unless I let them."  
  
"You can't leave. You're still a child as far as I'm concerned."  
  
"Daddy, don't make me do this . . . "  
  
"Do what?" His voice was more like an order. She had a choice, she knew she did. She knew she wouldn't later be able to plead innocent for the crime she was about to commit, but she did it anyway.  
  
"This," she sighed and lashed out at him with her mind, erasing all memory of their argument and implanting in his mind that he had agreed, yes, that she should go. And she didn't stop there. She put in the reasons for allowing him to let her go. The reasons why she should be in a community of mutants like herself.  
  
And then she went upstairs, picked up her bags, and walked the rest of the way to her bus stop, the small black rectangle in her hand that Kitty and Kurt had given to her months ago. She wondered whether she should call them using the box, but decided against it. She didn't want them to come pick her up. There would be long, awkward silences, anger, resentment. She wondered why she was even leaving at all.  
  
Nevertheless, she pulled a dollar bill out of her jacket pocket and walked the few blocks to the bus stop, her tennis shoes clicking on the hard, gray cement ground. She tried to imagine what life at the X-Mansion would be like, but she couldn't think at all. All she could concentrate on was the thudding and thumping and clicking of her shoes on the pavement and the scenery passing by.  
  
Scarlett rested her head against the bus stop sign and waited, checking her watch every few minutes to see if the bus was almost there. Time went by slowly, but it was too fast for her.  
  
When the bus finally came, she felt her feet pause, then taking her up the steps, slip the dollar bill into the slot, and take her seat in the middle of the bus, clutching her bags to her. The bus stopped nearly half a mile from her intended stop, but she didn't mind. She would rather she be alone for a while.  
  
As she was walking up the street toward the mansion, a gnawing thought came to her. _What if they don't let you join them? What if they don't want you there? What if they're mad at you? What if you have to go back home and live with your dad and his cigarette smoke for the rest of your life, too afraid to go to college, ending up scared and alone without a friend in the world? She tried to push the thought away, but it kept coming back, unrelenting. What if they don't let you join? She told herself that they would, that they'd invited her. And you turned them down._  
  
Scarlett continued up the street, straight to the gates, telling herself she won't know until she tried. She pressed the button, introduced herself, and the gates slid open. There was a buzz and click as the defenses shut off until she was at the door.  
  
She hadn't expected her journey to take such a short amount of time. In truth, she never expected herself to actually make it to the door. It was one of the hardest things she had ever done, but she knocked on the door. There was a pause. Then she knocked again.  
  
The door opened.  
  
Jean answered.  
  
"Hi," Scarlett started nervously, realizing that she should have been rehearsing what to say when someone answered the door. "I . . . . just wanted to return this." She placed the black box into Jean's hand. "And I wanted to know if I could . . . if I could stay with you."  
  
Scarlett couldn't quite place the look on Jean's face. It was a mixture of shock and relief and confusion. "Of course. Come in." She opened the door wider.  
  
Relief washed over Scarlett. She hadn't known whether or not she would be welcomed there, after turning them down so many times before. She tried to say "Thanks", but her mouth wouldn't work. Instead she just walked in after Jean and followed her through the corridors, hallways, and rooms. "Where is everyone?"  
  
"They're having a training session in the Danger Room. Now that school's almost over, Logan's being even more hard on us."  
  
Scarlett took the room in as Jean walked down the hallway. To Scarlett's relief, she didn't try to fill the silence with conversation and they were soon at the Professor's office door. Jean knocked and then opened the door, as if someone had welcomed her in.  
  
Inside was a spacious office with bookshelves on both sides and a desk by a window. Behind the desk sat someone who looked vaguely familiar, as if she had seen him before somewhere, in a newspaper or on the news or something. He nodded towards Jean. "Thank you, Jean."  
  
"I'll give you both some privacy," Jean said as she left the room.  
  
Scarlett watched her leave. If there was anything more awkward than showing up on their doorstep, it was being left alone in a room with their leader whom you've never met and feeling as if you owed them an apology for arriving with no notice. "I'm sorry I came here without calling or anything . . . "  
  
"Don't worry about it. So, Scarlett, you wanted to speak with me?" he asked, steepling his fingers. His eyes moved to her bags on the ground and then back up to her eyes. "Ah. Let me guess."  
  
Scarlett nodded. "Yeah," she said. He obviously liked to get right to the point. So did she. The sooner this was over, the better. "I know I've been really . . . _reluctant _to join, to say the least, but, if you're not all still mad at me, then I'd really like to join. I know a little about the X-Men, and I'm interested."  
  
"Are you sure you'd like to join us."  
  
_Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes._ "Yes, if you'll let me."  
  
Professor Xavier smiled.  
  
_Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes, please say_ - "Of course."  
  
All the tension in Scarlett somehow vanished and she was left with only relief. "Thank you," she smiled.  
  
***  
  
One hour later, after Scarlett's bags were put away and the X-Men had finished their training session with Wolverine, Scarlett met them all at the door. Most she had seen around school, like Jubilee, Bobby, Sam . . . She'd no idea they were mutants as well. Of course, she had spent the last few months at home, in her room.  
  
But they all paused as they saw her. Maybe they didn't know, either? Or maybe they were surprised she had actually joined? She saw Helen smile.  
  
"X-Men, I'd like to introduce our newest team member, Scarlett Marsden. Everybody, meet Aqua."  



	15. Epilogue

Chapter 15: Epilogue  
  
Through the next three months of Summer, there was more change than Aqua had thought would be. There were training sessions with Logan, visits to Hawaii with Scott and Jean and some of the others. She cut her hair a little shorter so tips were blonde and the rest was blue.  
  
And then there were broken relationships to mend.  
  
Scott Summers said good-bye to the X-Men in August and left for college in New York City, nearly two hours away.  
  
Helen Sadey, Shadow, also graduated from high school, but, as she never applied, wasn't able to attend any college. So, in Fall of the next year, she registered began her life as a trainer with the X-Men. Then registered as a trainer at the YMCA. She began waitressing and baby-sitting. But that fell through and all she was left with was the X-Men. She turned 27 years old but still looked about 18.  
  
She didn't speak much of her parents and never attempted to make contact with them again. She didn't trust them to accept her mutant ability or to accept the fact that a cruel twist of fate had forced her to age slower than everyone else, that everyone around her would die long before she would. A year later, she applied to Scott's college and barely made the waiting list. A month later, she was confirmed as a future student. She said good-bye to the X-Men and drove away, swearing on everything she could think of that she would come back and train the next batch of students.  
  
Scarlett reapplied at Bayville High and returned the following year. With encouragement from Kitty Pryde, she didn't dye her hair blonde and told everyone she was dying it blue. The lie worked and only she, the X-Men, and her father knew the truth. If nobody knows, nobody can care. Her father, however, was sent to the Bayville hospital where he was diagnosed with lung cancer which was spreading to his heart. He would die the next year and Scarlett, being a minor, would have no claim to any of the money or property until she turned 18 years old. She and Helen forged new documents saying she was to be under the care of Professor Charles Francis Xavier until the age of 18.  
  
The next year, Scarlett spent her first official year as an X-Man.  
  
And, of course, we all know what happened then . . .   
  
"They All Lived Happily Ever After . . ." 


End file.
